Yard hydrant with drain port air line

ABSTRACT

A yard hydrant that facilitates the evacuation of water from therein. The wall hydrant has a standpipe having a drain port wherein the standpipe is coupled to a head casing that has a discharge conduit. An air line is mounted adjacent and to the drain port and extends from the drain port to an end that may be attached to a pressurized fluid source. Thus, when water remains in the standpipe even after a closure valve is closed, pressurized air is supplied through the air line and drain port into the standpipe to force retained water toward and out of the discharge conduit.

CROSS REFERENCE TO A RELATED APPLICATION

This application is based upon Applicants' Provisional Application Ser. No. 60/595,980 filed Aug. 22, 2005.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This invention is directed toward a yard hydrant, and more specifically to a yard hydrant that flushes water out of a valve body and standpipe.

Yard hydrants are well known in the art and have an inlet valve connected to a water supply that is located below the frost line in the ground. When a hydrant is shut off, a drain port at the inlet valve is opened to allow water in the hydrant to drain out. The problem with this design is that ground water or other contaminants can enter the yard hydrant through the same drain port, thus creating an unacceptable cross-connection. Also, water may be retained within the hydrant which could freeze, and lead to a rupture. Accordingly, there is a need in the art for an improved yard hydrant.

An objective of the present invention is to provide a yard hydrant that allows the yard hydrant to be flushed.

This and other objectives will be apparent to those skilled in the art.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A yard hydrant having a valve body coupled to an inlet water pipe, a standpipe coupled to a valve body, and a head casting coupled to the standpipe. The valve body has a valve seat and a drain port. Disposed within the valve body is a valve or plunger attached to an actuator rod or valve stem that extends vertically through the standpipe and is operatively connected to a lever or faucet handle. The head casting has an inlet port, an outlet port and a conduit that extends from the inlet port to the outlet port. Mounted to the drain pipe is an air line that permits water within the valve body and standpipe to be flushed with pressurized air.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The figure is a side view of a yard hydrant.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

A yard hydrant 10 has a valve body 12, a valve seat 14, a drain port or hole 16, an inlet 18 which is connected to a source of pressurized water (not shown) and an outlet 20 at its top. Connected at one end to the valve body 12 is a standpipe 22 that extends vertically and is connected to a head casting 24 at the opposite end.

The head casting 24 has an inlet 26 coupled to the standpipe 22 and a discharge conduit or outlet 28 that preferably extends outwardly from the head casting 24 and a fluid conduit 30 that extends between the inlet 26 and the outlet 28.

Disposed within the valve body 12 is a closure valve plunger 32 that is connected to a valve stem or actuator rod 34 that extends from the closure valve 32 through the standpipe 22 and is connected to an actuator device 36 attached to the head casting 24 such as a lever or handle.

Mounted adjacent to the drain port 16 is an air line 38. The air line 38 is mounted to the drain port 16 in any conventional manner and extends from the drain port in any direction including both vertical and horizontal directions. End 40 of the air line 38 is adapted to connect with a source of pressurized air (not shown).

When the closure valve 32 engages the valve seat 14 the hydrant is in a closed position which prevents water from flowing from the water source to the discharge conduit 28. When the closure valve 32 is in the closed position the drain port 16 permits water to drain out of the pipe 22 and into the ground or is retained within a portion of air line 38. When the closure valve 32 is disengaged from the valve seat 14, the closure valve 32 seals the drain port 16 and water is permitted to enter the standpipe 22 and under pressure flow toward the discharge conduit 28. Occasionally, when the closure valve 32 is in the closed position, some fluid may be retained within the valve body 12 and the standpipe. To flush this retained water from the hydrant 10, pressurized air is supplied to the air line 38 such that as air flows from end 40, through drain port 16, the retained water is forced toward and out of the discharge conduit 28. In this manner, any water retained within the hydrant may be flushed from the hydrant.

It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that other various modifications could be made to the device without the parting from the spirit in scope of this invention. All such modifications and changes fall within the scope of the claims and are intended to be covered thereby. 

1. A yard hydrant comprising: a standpipe having a drain port; an air line mounted adjacent to the drain port and extending from the drain port to an end opposite the drain port.
 2. The yard hydrant of claim 1 wherein the air line extends horizontally from the drain port.
 3. The yard hydrant of claim 1 wherein the air line extends vertically from the drain port.
 4. The yard hydrant of claim 1 further comprising a head casing having a discharge conduit coupled to the standpipe wherein when pressurized air is supplied to the air line from the end through the drain port water retained in the standpipe is forced toward and out of the discharge conduit. 